Helminthic and protozoan internal parasitic infections in free ranging small ruminants of Bangladesh

A year-round study was carried out on 136 Bengal sheep and 224 Bengal goats with the aim to compare the species diversity and prevalence of infections with protozoa, flukes, tapeworms and nematodes parasitizing gastrointestinal tract and lungs of the small ruminants from various parts of Bangladesh. The prevalence of internal parasitic infections was higher in goats (74.55 %) than in sheep (55.88 %). Liver fluke (F. gigantica) was more prevalent in goat (14.28 %) than in sheep (8.82 %) whereas tapeworm infection was more frequent in sheep (24.26 %) in comparison to goat (16.52 %). In addition, goats showed higher than sheep prevalence of protozoan (Eimeria spp.) and lungworm (Muellerius spp.) infections. Goats (33.48 %) showed eight times higher prevalence of Muellerius capillaris (lungworm) infections than sheep (4.41 %) did. Lungworm infection was more likely to occur in female goats where as other species were more prevalent in male. The most prevalent gastrointestinal nematode in both host species was Trichostrongylus followed by the occurrence of Haemonchus. A total of 10 different types of internal parasites were identified of which 9 were common for both species. The most commonly occurring parasites in both species include Eimeria, Trichostrongylus, Haemonchus, Monizia and Fasciola.